Poly’s Kelli Thompson has a chance to become the first Poly athlete to win four CIF State titles when the Jackrabbits face Monte Vista of Danville in the Division I girls basketball championship Saturday night at the Arco Arena in Sacramento at 6 p.m.

“To be the first with four (championship) rings in Poly history, it means a lot,” said Thompson, a 6-0 senior wing on the Jackrabbits’ girls basketball team. “I’m excited. I can’t wait. It would mean a lot to me.”

Thompson is one of five seniors on the Poly team, but the only one who has been a part of each of the last three CIF State Division I championship squads. A victory in Saturday’s title game against Monte Vista of Danville would set a precedent no other Poly athlete could top.

“She would be the standard setter,” Poly coach Carl Buggs said. “No one can ever beat that, only tie it. I’m sure that’s exciting to her within the team concept.”

Thompson was an All-Moore League first teamer as a junior and was listed as the No. 19 wing in the nation by ESPN/Hoopgurlz entering this season. She looked forward to a stellar senior campaign, but a broken left wrist suffered in January caused her to miss nearly two months, and she’s only recently returned to the court.

“It was really frustrating,” Thompson said of being sidelined. “The fact I couldn’t play basketball was killing me.”

She had just seven total points in her first four games back before scoring seven in last week’s Southern California Regional final against Colony, including her first 3-pointer since returning. Thompson has been staying after practice, “trying to find my shot,” and tried to stay in game shape while she was hurt by running and working with the team’s trainer.

Unfortunately, injuries are something Thompson has dealt with frequently during her time at Poly. She missed time with an ankle injury as a junior and had surgery for an ulcer in her right eye as a freshman that forced her to stay away from bright light.

“That was the worst,” said Thompson.

Still, Thompson has persevered and brings what Buggs calls a “calming effect” to the team with her maturity.

“She’s had some adversity come her way,” said Buggs. “She’s definitely battled challenges throughout her career.”

But the hard work and dedication paid off when Thompson signed a letter of intent in November to attend UNLV. She also received scholarship offers from UCLA, Washington State, Louisville and Arkansas but ultimately chose the Runnin’ Rebels.

“I needed to be far enough (away from home) to be on my own,” Thompson said, “but close enough to come home.”

She also said UNLV coach Kathy Olivier reminded her of Buggs.

“You can play around,” Thompson said of the former UCLA head coach, “but when it’s time to work, it’s time to work.”

Thompson has averaged 6.6 points per game as a senior to go with 2.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists. She’s also one of Poly’s perimeter offensive threats and averages 29 percent from the 3-point line.

Buggs said Olivier is getting a “gamer” in Thompson and a player with a high “basketball IQ.”

“She understands the game and seizing the moment and the flow of the game, understands what we’re trying to do,” said Buggs. “The ball doesn’t get stuck in her hands. She’s kind of like a coach on the court.”

She’s also a leader on a young team that features 10 freshmen, sophomores and juniors. Buggs said Thompson is a peer the younger players can go to with their problems.

“I’ve been through what they’re going through,” said Thompson. “A lot of the girls on our team are young. I’ve been through more and know more.”

Thompson struggled with her grades as a freshman and sophomore, something she attributes to “just being lazy.” But Thompson said she’s buckled down the last two years and improved academically. Her favorite classes are criminal law and government and she wants to major in criminology at UNLV with a career goal of becoming a forensic investigator.

Now just hours from putting on the Poly uniform for the final time, Thompson knows she’s been part of something special.

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